Salman Khan receives death threat on social media, police to probe

Bollywood actor Salman Khan ahead of his court hearing later this week in the Blackbuck poaching case has received alleged death threats on social media. The Rajasthan Police on Tuesday said that they are investigating the alleged threat. The police also mentioned that preventive action will be taken before any untoward incident takes place. Salman Khan, who is accused in the case, is expected to appear before the Jodhpur court on September 27.

"We are trying to ascertain the identity of those behind it. If we get any input, we will neutralise the threat proactively," Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), D Singh said, adding that preventive action will be taken before any untoward incident takes place. The threat, which carried a photo of Salman Khan with a red cross, was posted on Facebook by an account named Gary Shooter. "People have alleged that a gang which goes by name '007' is behind it. Whether the threats are given by the members of this gang or not is yet to be ascertained," added Singh.

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Earlier, the Rajasthan High Court on September 16 has heard the petition moved by the Rajasthan government challenging the acquittal of actor Saif Ali Khan and four others in blackbuck poaching case, in which Salman Khan was convicted and later granted bail. Salman Khan was not present in the last hearing in July and has been issued a warning by Jodhpur Court that his bail will be rejected if he doesn't make himself available in the next hearing.

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The Blackbuck poaching case

In 1998, Salman Khan was accused of killing two blackbucks on October 2, 1998, in Kankani village in Jodhpur during the shooting of Sooraj Barjatya's 'Hum Saath Saath Hain'. His co-actors, Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Neelam Kothari and Tabu, were also co-accused in the case but were acquitted due to lack of evidence. 

Blackbucks fall under the endangered category and its hunting is prohibited under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. While Salman Khan was convicted under Section 51 of the act and awarded a five-year prison term in 2018. As per reports, Khan only spent two nights in jail and was later released on bail on a bond of Rs 50,000 and two sureties of the amount.

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(with ANI inputs)